EGOSOFT and Deep Silver announceX Rebirth, the next game set in the X Universe of space combat games, saying this will "transport the multi-award-winning series to another dimension with radically new game design and top notch graphics" upon release in the fourth quarter of this year. It seems this is the promised TNBT announcement, though that's not explicitly stated. The reveal trailer offers gameplay footage, and here's a bit on the game:

X Rebirth represents a spectacular new beginning for the X series, offering loyal fans and newcomers alike a vast, vivid and extremely detailed universe to explore throughout the game.

Varied gameplay elements such as action-packed space combat, detailed trading mechanics and high-speed space exploration with fast travel allow players to experience a truly unique space saga that will keep them hooked for dozens of hours.

Though I don't see them dropping the business empire mechanic, I really want it to be more about me and my ship and less about me and a list of two hundred ships four levels deep in a menu that all need instructions and fifty interdependent factories that need supplies. Space sims are, at least theoretically, far and away my favorite video game genre. What I like about them, though, is getting to pretend I'm living the life of a spaceship captain. Me, my ship, and a galaxy to explore, battles to be fought, and money to be made.

In Elite/Privateer/Freelancer, the fundamental game mechanic was flying your ship and fighting other ships, or praying that you could sneak by without being noticed. I'm not really sure what the fundamental game mechanic of the X games is. It's sort of a jack-of-all-trades, and if anything, the fundamental game mechanic is a spreadsheet business simulation.

If you just want to do the Han Solo thing, striking out in your ship to explore and fight the good fight, the X galaxy is severely lacking. It's just one big empty cube of space with pretty backdrop connected to four others just like it through jump gates at each corner, and so on. Hopefully X Rebirth will have a more interesting and believable environment, with planets, stars and solar systems.

Most importantly, hopefully there will be more to do on your own at the controls of your ship. I don't need a business empire, just a hold full of contraband and a best guess at a course that will minimize my exposure to the space police.

The X games aren't bad, of course, they're just not as good as they could be. As others have said, more character interaction (even simple things like getting missions and text-based rumors at space bars), and a more naturally structured universe would go a long, long way toward making X Rebirth a classic.